1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrical charging system, an electrical charging controlling method, a robot apparatus, an electrical charging device, an electrical charging controlling program, and a recording medium. This application claims priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-090026, filed on Mar. 27, 2002, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, development in practically useful robots, supporting the human life as a partner, that is supporting the human activities in various aspects of our everyday life, such as in living environment, is progressing. In distinction from the industrial robots, these practically useful robots are endowed with the ability to learn for themselves the method for adaptation to human beings with variable personalities, or to variable environments, in the variegated aspects of our everyday life. For example, pet-type robots, simulating the bodily mechanism or movements of animals, such as quadruples, e.g., dogs or cats, or so-called humanoid robots, simulating the bodily mechanism or movements of animals erected and walking on feet, such as human beings, are already being put to practical use.
As compared to the industrial robots, the above-described robot apparatus are able to perform variable entertainment-oriented operations, and hence are sometimes called entertainment robots.
Meanwhile, since the above-described pet type robot or the humanoid robot behaves autonomously, it is connected with for example a cable to a power supply, and hence the driving of the robot apparatus proves hindrance to the behavior of the robot apparatus. In this consideration, such robot apparatus includes an built-in battery, as a power supply source.
However, since the quantity of the power that can be stored in the battery is limited, it is necessary with the conventional robot apparatus to charge the battery periodically. If this periodic charging is not made, the behavior of the robot apparatus no longer occurs due to battery power down. Moreover, this periodic battery charging is cumbersome for the user.